First revamped Evansville-to-Chicago flight takes to the sky Wednesday morning
EVANSVILLE — The first passengers on a new American Airlines route from Evansville Regional Aiport to Chicago O'Hare Airport took to the sky early Wednesday morning, marking the return of direct flights from the River City to the Windy City.
State and local officials announced the revamped Evansville–Chicago route in April during a festive news conference replete with a Blues Brothers impersonation act. Just after 5:20 a.m. Wednesday, the first passengers to fly the route boarded their American Airlines flight, which typically takes just over an hour and a half to arrive in Chicago.
Evansville had lacked a direct flight to Chicago from its local airport since 2022 when American Airlines opted to close down its Evansville-to-Chicago offering. Shortly before that announcement, United Airlines included its twice-daily flights between Evansville and Chicago on a list of routes it would cancel.
American Airlines decided to relaunch the route after discussions with state officials, Evansville Regional Airport leaders and Tri-State Area businesses.
“EVV’s new Chicago service is a testament to solid community support and more passengers choosing to Fly EVV First, coupled with strong partnerships at the state and airline level,” said Nate Hahn, EVV's executive director.
According to a news release, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb echoed that sentiment, saying that the resumption of direct flights between Indiana's third largest city and Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, was "a big win" for the region and Indiana as a whole.
As announced in April, American Airlines is now offering twice-daily service to Chicago O'Hare Airport, which serves as the airline's Midwest "hub," meaning Evansville passengers who fly there can quickly transfer to other destinations, both domestic and international.
American Airlines regional flight service, dubbed American Eagle, operates the flights between Evansville and Chicago.
According to FlightAware, an aviation tracking firm, the Bombardier CRJ200 regional jet that departed Evansville Wednesday morning touched down at Chicago O'Hare Airport at 7:19 a.m., about five minutes ahead of schedule. From there, regular train service operated by the Chicago Transit Authority affords passengers a public transport option to Downtown Chicago and other local destinations.
A log of the first flight's transponder shows the 50-seat American Eagle jet flew northeast from Evansville before turning northwest and toward Chicago just after passing over Indianapolis. A second American Eagle flight was scheduled to depart Evansville for Chicago O'Hare Airport at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to FlightAware.
How much do the flights cost? As with most airline travel, booking a seat well in advance saves money. The American Airlines website priced an economy class, roundtrip flight scheduled to depart Evansville on Monday and to return on Tuesday at $831.
As of Wednesday morning, American Airlines listed a roundtrip ticket booked about one month in advance at $471, which was cheaper than similar roundtrip American Airlines offerings between Evansville and Chicago that required a layover in North Carolina.
“We appreciate American Airlines’ continued commitment to the Evansville market, and we are grateful for the investments and community support that have empowered airline growth at EVV,” Hahn said.
Houston Harwood can be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpress.com.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville to Chicago direct flights return Wednesday after hiatus
